Why Why Why Ravenna

[crazyank]

1 hour ago, Boycey said:

 

Never mind,  not worth the effort

Edited July 28, 2023 by crazyank

[terrydtx]

16 hours ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

Porto Maghera takes large cruise ships,it’s only 10 min across the bridge to Piazzale Rome.

I think that’s where MSC docks.

Its an industrial port but beats out of the way Ravenna.

 

Marghera has no cruise terminal facility and has very limited cruise ship docking availability. Last year our HAL Oosterdam cruise which departed from Trieste but returned to Marghera. All passengers had to be bused from the Maghera dock to the cruise terminal on Venice Island to get luggage and clear customs. This whole prosses took hours. All passengers who were staying on the Oosterdam for the B2B cruise had to wait until all departing passengers were off the ship before they could depart and get on a bus to visit Venice for the day. People flying home had to go to Venice cruise terminal first then catch a shuttle to the airport. Until Italy builds a new cruise terminal in or near Maghera, Maghera is not really a viable cruise port.

 

This was the only time the Oosterdam docked in Maghera and there was some confusion about where the sip was supposed to dock. I was up and watched as we docked at one dock and then the ship moved down the channel to another dock. I found out the port pilot was the one who directed the ship to the wrong dock.  That whole morning was on big cluster screwup. I also heard that many did not have their luggage when they got to the Venice cruise terminal, evidently some was left on the ship and not offloaded at the dock.

Edited July 28, 2023 by terrydtx

[JeanieC,Aston]

2 hours ago, terrydtx said:

Marghera has no cruise terminal facility and has very limited cruise ship docking availability. Last year our HAL Oosterdam cruise which departed from Trieste but returned to Marghera. All passengers had to be bused from the Maghera dock to the cruise terminal on Venice Island to get luggage and clear customs. This whole prosses took hours. All passengers who were staying on the Oosterdam for the B2B cruise had to wait until all departing passengers were off the ship before they could depart and get on a bus to visit Venice for the day. People flying home had to go to Venice cruise terminal first then catch a shuttle to the airport. Until Italy builds a new cruise terminal in or near Maghera, Maghera is not really a viable cruise port.

 

This was the only time the Oosterdam docked in Maghera and there was some confusion about where the sip was supposed to dock. I was up and watched as we docked at one dock and then the ship moved down the channel to another dock. I found out the port pilot was the one who directed the ship to the wrong dock.  That whole morning was on big cluster screwup. I also heard that many did not have their luggage when they got to the Venice cruise terminal, evidently some was left on the ship and not offloaded at the dock.

Hi

Even your experience beats a 3 hour slog to Ravenna,,,,I should imagine over time Maghera will get better.

[RichYak]

On 7/27/2023 at 11:16 AM, jwlane said:

Wondering if OP intended for the title to be sung to the tune, "Delilah", by Tom Jones?

That song has popped into my head every time I've seen this thread title.

[JeanieC,Aston]

3 hours ago, terrydtx said:

Marghera has no cruise terminal facility and has very limited cruise ship docking availability. Last year our HAL Oosterdam cruise which departed from Trieste but returned to Marghera. All passengers had to be bused from the Maghera dock to the cruise terminal on Venice Island to get luggage and clear customs. This whole prosses took hours. All passengers who were staying on the Oosterdam for the B2B cruise had to wait until all departing passengers were off the ship before they could depart and get on a bus to visit Venice for the day. People flying home had to go to Venice cruise terminal first then catch a shuttle to the airport. Until Italy builds a new cruise terminal in or near Maghera, Maghera is not really a viable cruise port.

 

This was the only time the Oosterdam docked in Maghera and there was some confusion about where the sip was supposed to dock. I was up and watched as we docked at one dock and then the ship moved down the channel to another dock. I found out the port pilot was the one who directed the ship to the wrong dock.  That whole morning was on big cluster screwup. I also heard that many did not have their luggage when they got to the Venice cruise terminal, evidently some was left on the ship and not offloaded at the dock.

Hi

Even your experience beats a 3 hour slog to Ravenna,,,,I should imagine over time Maghera will get better.

Last year (2022) Magehera opened a temp facility for cruise ships.

Currently used by MSC,Costa and Viking among others.

Start small build big.

 

Btw,,when we docked in Venice we had to get the People Mover to Piazza Roma to get a shuttle to the airport.

The best thing about Maghera is,,when it’s finished,is you can be in Venice in 10 minutes.

 

Another plus for Maghera is the area of Mestre is full of hotels used in the past for its many hotels used by cruisers departing Venice.

Hotel to cruise ship in minutes.

[terrydtx]

2 minutes ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

Hi

Even your experience beats a 3 hour slog to Ravenna,,,,I should imagine over time Maghera will get better.

Last year (2022) Magehera opened a temp facility for cruise ships.

Currently used by MSC,Costa and Viking among others.

Start small build big.

 

Btw,,when we docked in Venice we had to get the People Mover to Piazza Roma to get a shuttle to the airport.

The best thing about Maghera is,,when it’s finished,is you can be in Venice in 10 minutes.

 

Another plus for Maghera is the area of Mestre is full of hotels used in the past for its many hotels used by cruisers departing Venice.

Hotel to cruise ship in minutes.

The point of my comments had nothing to do with whether one port is better or more convenient than another. I was pointing out Maghera is not set up to handle any quantity of large cruise ships efficiently and until they build the new permanent cruise terminal, nothing will change about using Ravenna or Trieste for Celebrity, RCL and HAL. BTW our shuttle bus trip from the Oosterdam to the cruise terminal took more than 10 minutes, with all the traffic it was closer to 30 minutes.

[cruisemom42]

10 hours ago, Boycey said:

I’ll ignore the ad hominem bit and simply ask how many cruises called in Ravenna before Venice closed its doors? Assuming you’re out a lot, as you imply, how many cruises did you personally take there?

 

As a frequent Med cruiser (I'll be on my 11th and 12th Med cruises this fall), I can answer that yes, Ravenna was definitely on cruise itineraries prior to Venice closing its doors. I was looking at itineraries that included Ravenna as far back as 2008 and I remember providing info to my sister and BIL who were cruising -- and on Celebrity, btw -- to Ravenna in the mid- 2010's. 

 

Not everyone wants a cookie-cutter itinerary for their cruise, and not everyone is cruising for the first time. 

 

IMO, Venice is always better seen via a longer stay in Venice proper. It's the only way to see the place and experience it when the hordes of daytrippers and cruise pax are gone at the end of the day and before they make an appearance in the mornings...

[chucknmarilyn]

1 hour ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

Hi

Even your experience beats a 3 hour slog to Ravenna,,,,I should imagine over time Maghera will get better.

The car service I have booked says 2 hours and 10 minutes for usual transfer from VCE.

[Andrewgary]

Is it just me or did the OP give a somewhat subtle shoutout to Tom Jones and Delilah their title?

[JeanieC,Aston]

Hi TD

You must have been unlucky.

Here is the bus timetable,(6 min trip),,,or to beat any traffic there is a train that takes 11 minutes from Mestre.

On Saturday there is x4 ships due into the terminal.

Edited July 28, 2023 by JeanieC,Aston

[jwlane]

2 hours ago, Andrewgary said:

 subtle shoutout 

You're late to the game.  See post #44.

[mom says]

The unpleasant truth, that some posters seem unwilling to acknowledge, is that Venice just isn't into you. And by you I mean cruisers as a whole. They will do whatever they need to do to discourage cruisers coming to Venice. They have a horrendous overtourism problem as well as their ecological problems, and cruisers are amongst their least profitable types of visitors. The cruise lines will do the best they can to appease their  clientele, but I doubt that the Venetian or Italian governments will go out of their way to encourage them.

[kimlovesfl]

We sailed out of Ravenna last year, on Brilliance of the Seas (I know, a Royal ship). We LOVED Ravenna. We had wanted to spend some time in Rome, so we flew in and out of Rome, spent 2 nights prior to the cruise, and 1 night after, and a night in Ravenna before the cruise left. We took the train from Termini to Ravenna, and walked from the train to our hotel. The hotel, the Casa Masoli, recommended a transfer company, and he picked us up early (!) and got us to the port with no problems at all. We booked the cruise line transfer back to the train station, and that was a mess and I won't do it again. Do your research on the location of this "new" port, and spend a night or 2 there. It is a delightful town. The port feels slapped together though.

[terrydtx]

4 hours ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

Hi TD

You must have been unlucky.

Here is the bus timetable,(6 min trip),,,or to beat any traffic there is a train that takes 11 minutes from Mestre.

On Saturday there is x4 ships due into the terminal.

Again, you are not talking about the same thing. When we got off the ship in Maghera we had NO choice but to take the supplied shuttles from the dock to the Venice Island cruise terminal, which took almost 30 minutes. We could not take the train or any city buses that was not an option.

[NMTraveller]

Smaller ship going into Venice for me...

 

Now by request ...

 

[Stockjock]

We have a cruise leaving soon out of Ravenna and will be staying in Venice 3 nights pre-cruise.  We booked the Celebrity transportation from Venice to Ravenna and it was well-priced.  Sounds like a long bus ride, but I think we'll be able to deal with that.

[NMTraveller]

Perhaps the OP is referencing this song?  Replace why why why with my my my...

 

 

Edited July 29, 2023 by NMTraveller

[Boycey]

Removed

Edited July 29, 2023 by Boycey

[81Zoomie]

23 hours ago, Stockjock said:

We have a cruise leaving soon out of Ravenna and will be staying in Venice 3 nights pre-cruise.  We booked the Celebrity transportation from Venice to Ravenna and it was well-priced.  Sounds like a long bus ride, but I think we'll be able to deal with that.

Looking at options for 2024.  Could you tell us what the transfer from Venice to Ravenna cost?  Where is the pickup in Venice?

Edited July 29, 2023 by 81Zoomie

[SPacificbound]

There are some cities that are just not meant to be seen by cruise travel, Venice is one of them.

[Tillylooloo]

For anyone staying in Ravenna and wondering how to get to and from the ship, my hotel told me to use this official site.

 

https://visitravenna.it/en/minivan-transfer-between-ravenna-and-the-cruise-terminal-of-porto-corsini-2

 

We've booked a shared transfer for the morning of the cruise, from our ravenna Hotel. They have been very helpful (showing no availability when I first checked so contected them via WhatsApp and the website just needed updating). 4 of us plus bags for around €60.

 

I'm looking forward to Ravenna. The YouTube videos I've watched suggest it's a lovely, authentic place with some amazing restaurants. 

 

Hotel collecting us from Bologna airport in a private car. I can't wait and bonus ... flights to Bologna airport x 4 were half the price of Venice flights and its fab to see somewhere new.

 

We sail next week, can't wait! 

 

At the end, booked the celebrity coach transfer to Bologna airport. So far, so good! 

Edited July 30, 2023 by Tillylooloo

[Malibustacey79]

I must admit we are feeling a little apprehensive about the transfer. We have booked flights in a package so I’m assured that the transfers WILL get us there and back in time but we land in Venice (from the UK) about 11.30am on the sail date and fly home about 12noon. 

We have always done this with Med cruises; but never with a three hour transfer involved! 
 

Don’t mind the early pick up on the last day but I’m really hoping we aren’t kept waiting too long for the outward transfer - I assume it’s one of those situations where a few different flights are filling up the coach - can anyone from the UK confirm/contradict this? 
 

 

[Boycey]

8 hours ago, Malibustacey79 said:

I must admit we are feeling a little apprehensive about the transfer. We have booked flights in a package so I’m assured that the transfers WILL get us there and back in time but we land in Venice (from the UK) about 11.30am on the sail date and fly home about 12noon. 

We have always done this with Med cruises; but never with a three hour transfer involved! 
 

Don’t mind the early pick up on the last day but I’m really hoping we aren’t kept waiting too long for the outward transfer - I assume it’s one of those situations where a few different flights are filling up the coach - can anyone from the UK confirm/contradict this? 
 

 

The coaches bringing people back to the airport arrive from around 9h30-10h00 and then there is a steady flow. These then fill up with guests on their way out to the ship and when we did it last year there was a very steady rhythm.. This year, watching from the ship (we were back to back so avoided the Venice/Ravenna schlepp) the arrivals flowed steadily until late afternoon. I don’t think you’ll be waiting long if at all, and anyway as you booked it all as a package you’re their problem so you can relax!  Hope you enjoy. I’m sure you will.

[Malibustacey79]

16 minutes ago, Boycey said:

The coaches bringing people back to the airport arrive from around 9h30-10h00 and then there is a steady flow. These then fill up with guests on their way out to the ship and when we did it last year there was a very steady rhythm.. This year, watching from the ship (we were back to back so avoided the Venice/Ravenna schlepp) the arrivals flowed steadily until late afternoon. I don’t think you’ll be waiting long if at all, and anyway as you booked it all as a package you’re their problem so you can relax!  Hope you enjoy. I’m sure you will.

Thanks for the info! That sounds good. In hindsight we should have flown in a day earlier. Or maybe just checked the transfer time properly…we live and learn. 

Really looking forward to it!

[Stockjock]

23 hours ago, 81Zoomie said:

Looking at options for 2024.  Could you tell us what the transfer from Venice to Ravenna cost?  Where is the pickup in Venice?

The transfer was $58 per person, which I thought seemed reasonable.  I also think that they are responsible for waiting if there is an issue, which obviously wouldn't be the case w/a private transfer.

Here are notes from my itinerary...

Ravenna Transfer: Be there by 10:30 am.  Isola Nova del Tronchetto.  Buses near elevated People Mover drop-off.  May see reps .w/signs.  Can take People Mover from Piazzale Roma.  Can also (maybe) take Vaporetto Line 2 (?) from San Marco station to Tronchetto.